Confined Space Incident

Whilst moored at the quayside a fishing vessels engineer found water in a cargo hold. The engineer attempted to use the bilge pump to remove the water but found a problem with the suction. It was thought that either the suction pipe in the hold well had a hole or the pipe end strainer might be blocked, the engineer reported the issue to the Master.

As this had happened in the past the Master instructed the engineer and one deckhand to set up the petrol driven salvage pump and drain the hold well to find the issue, reminding the engineer not to use the petrol driven salvage pump within the hold.

The master left the engineer and deckhand to undertake the works and with the cook the Master left the vessel to pick up groceries.

On returning to the vessel the Master discovered the engineer, and deckhand had taken the salvage pump into the hold and both were found unconscious. The Master immediately called the emergency services for assistance, while on the call unknow to the Master the cook entered the hold to help his colleagues, and he too became unconscious.

The emergency services were quickly on the scene and recovered the crew members. One crewman was taken to hospital for treatment while the other two were treated in the ambulance on quayside.

All crewmembers made a full recovery.

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